Saleha Khan Debunking Menstrual Taboos

In India only 36% of  355 million menstruating women do not have access to necessary sanitary materials. This struggle doesn't only revolve around the lack of proper sanitary napkins, but stems from the fact that women lack the basic knowledge about how to handle their periods. Many women in India are not taught how to use proper feminine hygiene products and are therefore not able to properly take care of their bodies when they are menstruating. This epidemic is also known as period poverty and is widespread in India and developing countries. In these developing countries 2 out of 3 girls miss school during their period because they were not educated on how to properly handle menstruation. 

Many women in India struggle with the social and religious taboos surrounding menstruation. In Indian society when women are on their periods they are seen as "impure" so they are often excluded from religious and social events during that time and are denied entry to temples, shrines, and even the kitchen. Menstruation is seen as that much of a taboo that 71% of girls don't find out what a period is until they get it themselves. This leads to many health issues because many girls do not have the means to obtain sanitary products for menstruation so they have to resort to using old rags, leaves, ash, and mud to help manage their flow. 

 

Saleha Khan is a young girl that is trying to change all of that. Saleha is trying to educate and advocate for women so that there isn't a stigma and shame around the concept of menstruation. She is attempting to educate the youth in her community on how to handle their period, how to stay clean, and trying to give them the proper sanitary materials that they need.

Saleha grew up living in the Govandi slums which is located to Mumbai's biggest dump yard and has some of the worst living conditions in the city. She did not face an easy journey as a child and had very minimal support form her family. Her family married off her eldest sister when they were faced with financial difficulties and they faced the choice of either sending Saleha or her brother to school, which is not uncommon in her culture.

Through a group called Save the Children Saleha was able to continue her studies. This group convinced her father to let her study further even though he didn't want her to continue her education. 

Since Saleha was determined to stay in school she persevered in her studies even though she was scolded by her parents for continuing her education. While at school Saleha attended her first menstruation session when at the age of 12. She didn't agree that they separated the boys and the girls in order to discuss the topic. She made the comment that "I think even if boys don't menstruate, they too should be educated about it."

Saleha began to spread awareness and conduct training sessions on menstrual health and hygiene. When she began doing this her father didn't speak to her for days because it was against his wishes that she conducted these meetings. Eventually after much convincing her mother began to support her and stand by her cause. 

From there Saleha became a prominent member of WASH4LIFE which is a child led campaign where she powerfully advocated for water and sanitation issues in the community. Through WASH4LIFE is where she conducted more than 250 sessions on menstrual hygiene over the course of three years and taught more than 2500 girls how to practice proper feminine hygiene. Saleha leads interactive and fun teachings through plays in the street, exhibits, and TED talks reaching over 10,000 people in her community. 

Saleha also began advocating for the importance of education. Her mother and her sister were forced to drop out of school at a young age and were never able to finish their education. Saleha, once she finished her education helped to then teach her mother and her sister and assist them in gaining the knowledge that they missed out on from having to drop out of school. 

Saleha was awarded a very prestigious award- Savitribai Phule Award for her efforts in educating women on menstrual hygiene and was selected as an Ashoka Youth Venturer. She also was nominated for the International Peace Prize more recently.

Saleha is currently a small activist trying to gain a platform so that she can advocate for period poverty and sanitary menstruation at a greater scale. For a young female activist, at 21 years of age, Saleha has helped to give women the sanitary information and products that they need in order to have decent hygiene. 

Work Cited

Smith, Caitlin. “17-Year Old Saleha Is Shattering Menstruation Taboos.” Every Last Child, Save the Children, 21 Mar. 2018, campaigns.savethechildren.net/blogs/caitlinsmith/17-year-old-saleha-shattering-menstruation-taboos.

Thelilynews. “7 Activists in 7 Countries Who Want to Strip Menstruation of Stigma.” Https://Www.thelily.com, The Lily, 31 Jan. 2019, www.thelily.com/7-activists-in-7-countries-who-want-to-strip-menstruation-of-stigma/.

“Why India Must Battle the Shame of Period Stain.” BBC News, BBC, 28 May 2020, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-52830427.